Super Bowl Sets Viewership Record For Fourth Straight Year

(Reuters) – The close Super Bowl contest between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers scored the highest rating share in history for the game, based on Nielsen’s top U.S. television markets, CBS Corp said on Monday.

The game, which suffered a 35 minute delay due to a power outage, earned an average overnight household rating of 48.1 in Nielsen’s metered markets, up 1 percent compared to last year’s Super Bowl between the New York Giants and New England Patriots. CBS said the rating excludes the blackout that occurred between 8:45 PM to 9:15 PM. Nielsen’s “metered markets” represent the top 56 U.S. TV markets.

The highest rated period during Sunday’s Super Bowl occurred between 10:30 P.M.-10:45 P.M, when the game came down to the wire and the Ravens were able to hold off a furious second half comeback by the 49ers to win the game 34-31.

The first estimate of nationwide viewers will be out later today but, given these numbers, it will be definitely be higher than last years 111 million number.

About Doug MataconisDoug holds a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May, 2010 and also writes at Below The Beltway.
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Comments

This game could pass the M*A*S*H finale for total viewers. Nothing will ever get that audience share again, given market fragmentation, but we’ve added so many viewers that one of these games will eventually surpass the raw total.

@Just ‘nutha ig’rant cracker: My math skills seem to be lacking today (maybe Superbowl Monday should be a holiday) Three straight years? Wow! And it’s only been about 20 since I last watched the game at all.

This game could pass the M*A*S*H finale for total viewers. Nothing will ever get that audience share again, given market fragmentation, but we’ve added so many viewers that one of these games will eventually surpass the raw total.

… and the M.A.S.H. finale was a terrible show. Overwrought, poorly written. I’d rather watch a rerun of any “Homeland” or “Sopranos” episode than the M.A.S.H. Finale.